Silver Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Silver Lake falls in Cheboygan County, part of Michigan. Height above sea level is 823 feet. At about 73 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The edge runs 1.2 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. For a base, Indian River sits 9.9 miles out. Further out sit Gaylord (17 miles) and Petoskey (17 miles). This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Silver Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Cheboygan County include yellow perch, rock bass, white sucker, smallmouth bass and northern pike. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On Silver Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 18°F to 67°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and early December. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Expect Silver Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A boat ramp sits half a mile away, so trailered boats can get on. There is recorded parking some half a mile off. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. For a change of water, Fulmer Lake is 0.8 miles distant. Check the position on Silver Lake before loading the car.